Mail-tying device



W. M. RAWL MAIL @YING DEVICE Filed Jan. 25. 1925 Patented Jan. 13, 125.

WILLIAIVI MORTINER RAWL. OE LYKESLAND. SOUTH CAROLINA.

MAIL-TYING nnvrcn.

Application filed January 25, 1923. Serial No. 614,894.

To all whom it may 007? com Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. RAWL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lykesland, in the county of Richland and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail- Tying Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to package tying devices and more particularly to that class of devices which are specially adapted to tying packages of letters.

For many years mail has been tied with an ordinary ute string which was thrown away when the package was opened, thus, causing a waste amounting to thousands of dollars each year, and it has long been the aim of inventors to obtain a device which was not only as conveniently operable and effective as the ordinary string, but a device which was also as inexpensive and yet could be used repeatedly before it had to be discarded. To my knowledge no such device has yet been devised, although many have been adopted and subsequently discarded, either on account of the fact that they were impractical from the standpoint that they could not be secured upon the package with as much facility as the ordinary twine, or that their cost was prohibitive.

It is, therefore, the object of this invention not only to avoid the difficulties which have been encountered in previous devices of this character, but also to produce a device which can be utilized with facility equal to the application of ordinary twine and at the same time which is nomore expensive.

It is also the object of this invention to provide a device equally as inexpensive as the ordinary twine which does not have to be discarded after each use, but which may be continuously used for a long period of time.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device embodying a flexible member which enables the operator to start his tying operation from either end thereof, thereby conserving time and eliminating the necessity of starting from a particular end, and in a particular manner which fault is inherent in most of the devices which have been heretofore adopted.

Further objects of the invention will ap pear as the following specification is read in connection with the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this application, and in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view, partly broken away showing the completed device;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a package of letters showing in diagram the first operation in applying the device;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the pack age of letters completely tied with the device, and

Fig. i is an edge elevation of a completely tied letter package.

The device as illustrated in Fig. 1 is constructed of a single strand of flexible material indicated at 1 which is bent back upon itself forming at one end the bight 2. The opposite or free ends of the member are brought together and tied as shown at 3, and in this stage of the operation of forming the device the flexible member would produce a closed ring or hoop. Separated from the opposite ends, or in other words, from the bight 2 and the knot 3, I tie small knots 4: and 5 which form end loops 6 and 7 and an intermediate loop 8 which may be of any suitable length varying according to the size of packages to be tied.

It is, of course, to be understood that the material used to construct the tying device may be any suitable type of cord or twine although in practice I prefer to use a twisted or braided cord of long fiber cotton or hemp. which has in addition to great strength, long wearing qualities, and which is to a large extent proof against cutting by abrasion. By using a material of this character which is very little if any, more expensive in large quantities than the ordinary jute twine employed at the present time, I am able to produce a device with which packages of letters may be rapidly tied very firmly and securely without cutting the cord, and which device may be utilized many times before it becomes so worn to necessitate discarding.

In the use of the device the operator grasps either end of the device with his left hand, and the opposite end of the device with his right hand, he then inserts the end of the device held in his right hand through the large loop 8 as shown in Fig. 2, and pulls this end until tight loop is formed around the package. Holding the package with the left hand and preferably with the thumb over the loop 9, where the body of the device passes through the loop 8 he wraps the sired to untie the package. lVhen the pack age is to be untied the operator-pu'lls the tree end from between the letters and then graspsthe opposite loop 6 or 7 l and by 'pu11-,

ing upon the same, completely untiesrthe ')ackage and at the saine tiane automaticallv causes the renioval-otthe strandsfrom the loop8- so that the device isin its normal position and readyfor re-use;

If desired, after the loop'9- has been formed only one Wrap may-betaken around the package: and the free end inserted between the letters at one side of the package and then carried over-and inserted between the letters at the opposite end of the pack,- age, giving-a double frictional grip'upon'the free end and thereby doubly insuring the maintenance o-i the parts intact until nn tying is HeCGSSltEXtGClw It will be noticed thatin the use ofthe been removed from between the letters.

I claim: 7 p A package tying device comprising a single flexilole strand having its; terminals connected togetherto produce a loop and its sides brought togetherwto tornrparallel strands said strands being connected-{togethcr ed aCe-nt "OPPOSlEG 1 endso't sai'd loop to produce short endloops' used as 'handles" and along intermediate loop' throu'gh 'WhiCll" either handle loop-maybe passed-to produ'ce a sli p loop around the package tOwbE; :tied.

. In testimonywhereof I-aflix my signature in the: presence of two :witnessesw I E. L. Cigars, .l. E. Bnnsnn. r 

